Grilled herb and paprika chicken with summer veg pasta

Smoked paprika gives this dish a sweet, smoky flavour without adding any heat(unless you purchase a hot variety). The vibrant colour of paprika also enhances the visual appeal of this high-fibre, high-protein dish.

Serves: 6

Time to make: 1 hr 45 mins

Hands-on time: 45 mins

Ingredients

More weights & measures

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 teaspoons lightly dried basil or oregano (we used Gourmet Garden) or chopped fresh
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice and zest of 2 lemons
8 skinless boneless chicken thighs, halved
3 red or yellow capsicums, halved
1 red onion, quartered
8 spears asparagus, halved lengthways
300g orzo or risoni pasta
1 small cucumber, diced
3 spring onions, sliced
1 ½ cups sweet corn sweetcornXkernels
2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
black pepper
50g crumbled feta, to serve
fresh basil or oregano, to serve

Instructions

Stay Awake

In a shallow non-metallic dish, combine garlic, herbs, paprika, and half of the oil, lemon zest and juice. Add chicken thighs and leave to marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 190°C. On a baking tray lined with baking paper, place capsicum and red onion. Bake for 25 minutes. Add asparagus and cook for a further 7-10 minutes. Remove vegetables and, when cool enough to handle, peel capsicum and tear into chunks.
Meanwhile, bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add pasta and cook for 5-7 minutes or until al dente. Drain, reserving a little of the pasta water. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool.
Strain the chicken, reserving the marinade. Heat a non-stick pan or griddle to medium. Cook chicken for 5-6 minutes, turning once, adding some of the reserved marinade halfway through. Set aside to cool.
To the bowl of pasta, add cooled roasted vegetables, cucumber, spring onions and sweetcorn and mix well. In a small bowl, combine remaining oil with balsamic vinegar and remaining lemon zest and juice. Toss through pasta. Arrange chicken pieces over the top. Season with black pepper and sprinkle with feta and herbs. Cover and keep chilled until serving.

HFG tip

The longer the chicken is marinated, the more intense the flavour will be.

The pasta and vegetable salad part of this dish can be made in advance and kept chilled.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 493 cal

Kilojoules 2070 kJ

Protein 36 g

Total fat 13 g

Saturated fat 4 g

Carbohydrates 55 g

Sugar 10 g

Dietary fibre 6 g

Sodium 260 mg

Calcium 110 mg

Iron 3.5 mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.